Decorative rotatable electrical display



July 29, 1952 P. SYRETZ DECORATIVE ROTATABLE ELECTRICAL DISPLAY 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1949 mm 6% mm vm m 5 v MW mm mm Mm mN om ww Zhwentor Z Peter 2 63 g;

(Ittorneg s J y 1952. P. T. SYRETZ 2,605,386

7 DECORATIVE ROTATABLE ELECTRICAL DISPLAY Filed 061:. 11, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Zinventor Patented July 29, 1952 DECORATIVE ROTATABLE ELECTRICAL DISPLAY Peter T. Syretz, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application October 11, 1949, Serial No. 120,620 r 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to decorative and ornamental display devices such, for example, as are adapted for use on Christmas trees, wreaths, etc., as well as in window or street decorations and other places. More particularly it relates to rotating illuminated devices of this type such as stars, light clusters and other decorative items which have both illumination and motion to attract attention and produce a pleasing effect.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a rotatable member constructed and arranged to selectively support any one of a plurality of different ornamental devices which can be detachably connected thereto for rotation and illumination.

A further feature is the provision on such a rotatable member of current-conducting means so constructed that socket members having various arrangements of lampsupporting socket members, both single and multiple sockets, can be secured to the rotatable member and current supplied thereto merely by attaching the selected socket member in place, without having to make any electrical connections other than positioning the socket member in place.

These and other features and advantages are accomplished by the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention showing the provision of an 11- luminated rotary star-shaped member illustrating one effect of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the ar rangement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates certain details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a rear view elevation of the central part of the star-shaped element shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing an alternative type of decorative and illuminating member, and

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As illustrated, the invention includes a casing I I which is shown as provided with a circular inner flange I2 supporting the housing I3 of an light-supporting socket member can be detachelectric motor having a shaft I4 projecting out- The wall of the casing has a plurality of spaced threaded openings 2| for receiving various types of devices such, for example, as the annular cone support 22 shown in the drawings by means of which the device may, for example, be positioned on a tree or other supporting article.

' An ornament-supporting disk 23 has a hub 24 secured to the motor shaft I4 by a set screw 25a. or the like for rotation therewith. This disk is arranged to support an illuminated device on the front face thereof'for rotation therewith. A

ably mounted on the front face of the disk. Electric contact members are provided which supply current to the lamp bases in such socket members and which make electrical connections therewith, merely as the result of the socket member being secured to the face of the disk without requiring the making of any separate electrical connections. As illustrated, a pair of concentric, current-conducting rings 25, 26 are secured in suitable grooves on the back face of the supporting disk 23 and so located as to be concentric with the motor shaft I4 when the disk'is mounted thereon. Brushes 21, 28 supported in a box 29 mounted on the motor casing I3 and projecting through the opening I9 in the cover plate I5 are yieldingly pressed into contact with the conducting rings 25, 26. Electric conductors 30 supply operating current to the motor I3 and supply potential to the brushes 21, 28.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a radial, current-conducting strip 3| is mounted on the front face of the disk by means including a conducting rivet 32 extending through the disk and making electric contact with the inner ring 25. The strip 3| extends radially inward past the center of the disk which is in alignment with the motor shaft I4. A second, radial current-conducting strip 33 is secured to the front face of the disk 23 and spaced from the first named strip 3|. The strip 33 has an axial extension 34 which projects outwardly from the disk 23 and is spaced a predetermined radial distance from the center thereof. The strip 33 is electrically connected to the outer of the concentric rings 26 by a conducting rivet 35, or the like.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a socket member 36 having a, single lamp socket 3'! is secured to the front face of the supporting disk 23 by any suitable means, such as screws or bolts 39, see Fig. 3. The wall of the lamp socket 31 is formed with an axially extending slot 4| for receiving the axial extension 34 of the radial conducting strip 33,

which thus forms a contact terminal for the side of a lamp base 42 of a lamp 42a positioned in the socket. Likewise, the base of the socket member 36 has slots 43, 44 for. receiving respectively, the currentconducting strips 3| and 33. The inner end of the strip 3| may, as shown in Fig. 2, be bent toward the socket member to provide resilience and form a center terminal for the lamp base42. V j

Means is provided for supporting a decorative member on the disk 23 around the lamp 420. and the lamp socket for rotation therewith. As illustrated, this is shown in the form of a five-pointed star 44a which is preferably formed of a trans-.

lucent material, which may, for example, be a thermoplastic compound. This star-shaped member is provided with a back 45 having air" openings 46 and key slots 47 adapted to fit over headed studs 48 projecting outwardly from the disk 23, so that it is a simple matter to position the decorative member 44 in place on the disk to'surround the illuminating lamp mounted in the socket 31.

When the 'circuitrof the conductors is closed, operating current is. delivered to the motor l3, whereby the supporting disk and. ornamental star 44a, or similar device are rotated, preferably at a relatively slow speed. Current is also de-- livered to the lamp 4211 through the brushes 2?, 28 or the like, concentric-conducting rings 25, 26 and, radial strips 3|, 33to the lamp base 32 to illuminate the rotating member. The resultis member 54 can be mounted on the disk 23 by key slots 6| engaging headed studs 62 adjacent the periphery of the supporting disk 23, without having to make any separate electrical connections in order to supply current to lamps mounted in the various sockets. Current is supplied through the brushes 21, 23, conducting rings 25, 26, strips 3|, 33a to the plug 53 and liner 56 respectively, Which supply the lamps inithe socket member. Socket members 54 "having various arrangements of lamps and the like can be selectively connected to the base 23.

It will be apparent that the invention can be variously modified and adapted and that portions of the improvements can be used without others.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture, comprising a rotary shaft, a supporting disk secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, current-conducting rings on the backface of said disk, currentconducting brushes engaging said 5 rings, current-conducting strips secured to and overlying the front face of said disk and electrically connected to said currentconducting rings, one of said strips terminating adjacent the center of said disk substantially opposite the'end of said rotary shaft, the other of said strips having an axial extension offset from the center of said disk, and a socket member secured to said oppleasing. and attention attracting. The arrangement is such that the socketmember can .be

secured to the supporting diskor removed therefrom without having to makeany separate electrical connections or disconnect any such connections. It will beapparent that any shape of decorative device 4 5a can be. employed and that differently shaped devices can be selectively mounted upon the headed studs '48., At the same time, the conical support 22 when used can be employed t-o support the device upon'a Christmas tree'or, similar type of support, or if desired it can be eliminated and any suitable supporting device be connected .to the threaded :'openings 21 inthe casing H.z.

In the embodimentillustrated in Figs.'5 and 6, the hub 24 of the disk 23 is provided with a threaded bore 5! in line with the motor shaft id and in which is threaded a stud 52 of a cylindrical contact plug 53. In this form, the socket member 54 has a recess 55. adapted to surround the contactv plug 53 when the socket member is secured to the disk 23;,The recess is lined with a current conducting liner 56 having openings 5', coinciding with the, sockets58 in the socket member 54. In this form the end of the axial extension 4! of the contact strip 33a isshaped so as to yieldingly engage'the inner surface of current-conducting liner in the recess 55 and has an inclined end 59shaped to ride over the edge of theliner 56 when the socket is applied to the disk. Also, the inner end of. the contact strip am is perforatedto receive the plug-supporting stud 52. With this construction, the socket me1nber can be arranged to support any desired number of radially extending lamps in addition to the axial lamp. The center terminal of each lamp will engage the contactplug 53 when the lamp is threaded into the socket member 54,

while the side terminal ofthe lamp engages the iiner 56 which, in effect, forms a part of the Wall of each lamp socket.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the multi-socket posite face of the disk providing a lamp socket in substantial alignment with said shaft whereby said strips operate to supply current to a lamp in said socket.

2. An article of manufacture, comprising a rotary shaft, a supporting disk connected to said shaft for rotation thereby, current-conducting rings on the rear face of said disk, current-conducting brushes engaging said rings, currentconducting strips" on 'the front face of said disk, means electrically connecting one ring to one strip and the other ring to the other strip, one of said strips terminating adjacent the center of said disk substantially opposite the end of said rotary shaft, the other of said strips having an axial extension offset from the center of said disk, a, socket member secured to said opposite side of the disk providing alamp socket in substantial alignment with said shaft with the socket Wall adjacent said axial extension whereby said strips operate to supply current to a lamp in said socket and means for mounting an ornamental device around said socket member to be rotated therewith and illuminated by a lamp in said socket member.

3. An article of manufacture, comprising a rotary shaft, a supporting disk connected to said shaft for rotation thereby, current-conducting rings on the rear face of said disk, currentconducting brushes engaging said rings, currentconducting strips on the front face of said'disk electrically connected to said rings, one'of said strips terminating at the center of said disk opposite theend' of said rotary shaft, the other of said strips having an axial extension offset from the center of said disk, a recessed socket member secured to said front side of the disk for rotation With said disk and having a plurality of lamp sockets therein opening into the recess in said member, a conducting member connected to said first-named strip at the end'in alignment with said shaft and extending into said recess in spaced relation to the walls thereof and forming a common base terminalfor lamps secured'in said sockets, and current-conducting means in said recess carried by the walls thereof and slid- 5 6 ably engaging said extension on the secondmentioned strip and forming a, side terminal for UNITED ATES PATENTS lamps in said sockets. Number Name t 856,755 Amon June 11, 1907 PETER. T. SYRE'IZ. 5 1,687,391 Samminiatelli Oct. 9, 1928 1,871,073 Monheim Aug. 9, 1932 REFERENCES CITED 1,913,765 Marshall June 13, 1933 1 916 059 Marr June 27 1933 The followmg references are of record 1n the V I file of this patent: 1,960,618 Compare May 29, 1934 10 2,228,437 Blana Jan. 14, 1941 

